So a friend of mine posted on Facebook a link to this 100 Happy Days Challenge. Here's their slogan "Can you be happy for 100 days in a row? You don't have time for this right?" My first thought was yes I can be happy for 100 days in a row and who doesn't have time to be happy?
So here's the challenge. Everyday submit a picture of what made you happy that day. Simple, who doesn't have time for that? So why take the challenge, I decided to take the challenge because after my first initial thoughts about it, I started thinking about all the people and places and other things that make me happy. My mind went forward to what I know is coming in the days, weeks and months ahead. Yes months, because this challenge is not for a month or two and don't stop at three. And therein lies the challenge, even for a person who already considers themselves a happy person.
The rules of the challenge do not say it should be something different everyday but for some reason I have applied that rule to myself. I have chosen to post my photos to Instagram and Facebook in order to inspire my friends and family. And also to honor them because they are a huge part of what makes me happy.
So I'm a quarter into the challenge and I thought I'd share some of my insights so far. I now wake up and wonder what will make me happy today. This is not a thought I ever recall having in the past. It makes you look at life a little differently. I find myself looking and searching for things to be happy about. The pursuit of happiness :-)
I've known for a long time that being happy is more of a choice than a feeling based on ones circumstances. (I won't go down that bunny trail today) It's about focus and perspective and gratitude. Gratitude is huge. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you are thinking about all the things in life you appreciate and are thankful for. Gratitude is a practice. Just like anything, the more we do something the better we become at it. Several years ago I started practicing giving thanks for something twice a day, I carried a rock with me to remind me to give thanks when I touched it. By this I mean consciously thinking I am thankful for family, friends, lights, etc...Practicing gratitude is a life changing en-devour.
As I was thinking about all this, I realized it's pretty easy for me to be happy right now. Life's going smoothly for the most part, the weather has been fantastic, most of my friends and family are doing well. Maybe it was coming across a photograph of my friend Nadine that gave me pause. You see she passed away just over a year ago and I remember the sadness of losing her. It made me wonder how I would handle this challenge should something tragic happen in the next 75 days.
Would I take a break? Would I give up? I hope not because the more I thought about it the more I realized that it is during our darkest moments where we need to look for hope the most. It is those moments of laughter through the tears that keep us pushing through the hard times. As much as I hope and pray that nothing tragic happens in the next 75 days or ever for that matter, reality is, loved ones will pass away, tragedy will strike. But I feel better prepared to face those times now more than ever, not because I am focusing on being happy. You see this practice of gratitude I'm talking about brought me closer to God. I now know I can trust in Jesus to carry all my burdens if I am willing to give them to Him.
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light."
He will carry your burdens too, if you're willing to give them up to Him.
I've known for a long time that being happy is more of a choice than a feeling based on ones circumstances. (I won't go down that bunny trail today) It's about focus and perspective and gratitude. Gratitude is huge. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you are thinking about all the things in life you appreciate and are thankful for. Gratitude is a practice. Just like anything, the more we do something the better we become at it. Several years ago I started practicing giving thanks for something twice a day, I carried a rock with me to remind me to give thanks when I touched it. By this I mean consciously thinking I am thankful for family, friends, lights, etc...Practicing gratitude is a life changing en-devour.
As I was thinking about all this, I realized it's pretty easy for me to be happy right now. Life's going smoothly for the most part, the weather has been fantastic, most of my friends and family are doing well. Maybe it was coming across a photograph of my friend Nadine that gave me pause. You see she passed away just over a year ago and I remember the sadness of losing her. It made me wonder how I would handle this challenge should something tragic happen in the next 75 days.
Would I take a break? Would I give up? I hope not because the more I thought about it the more I realized that it is during our darkest moments where we need to look for hope the most. It is those moments of laughter through the tears that keep us pushing through the hard times. As much as I hope and pray that nothing tragic happens in the next 75 days or ever for that matter, reality is, loved ones will pass away, tragedy will strike. But I feel better prepared to face those times now more than ever, not because I am focusing on being happy. You see this practice of gratitude I'm talking about brought me closer to God. I now know I can trust in Jesus to carry all my burdens if I am willing to give them to Him.
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light."
He will carry your burdens too, if you're willing to give them up to Him.
